Dark Ale

[spacecadet]

Hey, thinking of doing a dark ale for my next brew, seeing as though its getting colder and all.
was just wondering if willamette will go well with this style (have some left over from last brew) and also, what sort of malt do you guys reccomend to go with this?

 

[bullfrog]

I just put a dark ale on over the weekend. Used light and amber LME and got my EBC up with some choc grain.

I hopped with Fuggles and EKG but Willamette would definitely fit with the style, IMO.

 

[WarmBeer]

Willamette is the same strain as Fuggles, just grown in the USA rather than UK. Taste and aroma will be similar, but change in climate/soil leads to subtle regional differences.

As Bullfrog suggests, using a different malt extract can be compensated for by steeping, then adding some specialty grain (Choc Malt or Black Malt). This will give a "fresher" taste to your beers. Just be sure to read up on steeping, and ensure you remove the grains from the liquid, then boil the resulting liquid, before adding it to your fermenter.

Good luck, sounds like you're on the slippery slope

 

[Dazza_devil]

It so happens I did an American Brown last August with Willamette which turned out very nice with some chocolate undertones. I found it improved with age and I tried a stubby which I had saved last week that was very rounded and delicious.

22 litres

3kg LDME

150g Carafa II
150g Caramunich II
200g Chocolate

17g Simcoe @ 60mins
20g Willamette @20mins
20g Willamette @ 10 mins
15g Willamette @ 0 mins
Dry-hopped with 20g Willamette @ day 5

US05 pitched dry @ 23 degrees C.
Fermented @ 18 degrees C.

Beewdiful

 

[bullfrog]

Yeah, figure I'll post my recipe up, too, in case it could be helpful.

1.5kg Light LME
1.5kg Amber LME

200g Crystal
300g Choc

500g Honey (was given to me by an apiarist friend, bloody nice stuff)

10g Fuggles @ 60 minutes
10g East Kent Goldings @ 60 minutes

20g Fuggles @ 20 minutes
20g East Kent Goldings @ 20 minutes

Pitch Nottingham at 25 degrees. Ferment at 18 degrees.

Smelt wonderful when I was transferring from my pot to the fermenter after chilling...pity I had left the tap open. Only lost a couple of mL but the missus wasn't too happy. Don't know what she was whinging about, I thought that the kitchen smelt nice with a hint of honey in the air...

 

[spacecadet]

thanks guys

 

[Coach_R]

I did a dark ale (some may say porter) as a toucan just recently..

Recipe was

1x Coopers Dark Ale Kit
1x Coopers Mexican Cerveza
500g x Dex
200g x Cara Aroma
100g x Choc Malt
200g x Carapils
10g x POR (10 minutes)
2 x Coopers Yeast

Made to 23 litres with an OG of 1060 FG of 1010

Bottled this one almost 2 weeks ago, it tasted so good straight out of the fermenter! Now just waiting another week or so to crack the first one! hopefully it'll be even better.

Gdluck with your brew :icon_cheers: